Cambridge is probably most famous worldwide for it’s university, but there’s so much more to Cambridge than simply a centre of learning as this guide will show.
The University of Cambridge is one of the focal points of the town, dating from 1209 it’s the second oldest university in the country with Oxford being the first. Early records suggest Cambridge was founded by scholars who were in dispute with the towns folk of Oxford University, which probably explains why the two universities are still so closely linked in academic style and cultures. The university is actually created from 31 semi independent colleges with their own admissions and budgets, hence people often referring to attending Churchill College or King’s College, which has become a tourist attraction in it’s own right.
The Fitzwilliam Museum is one of several attractions associated with Cambridge University, housing magnificent collections of art and antiquities of international importance. Works include those by Rubens, Van Dyck, Constable, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne and Picasso amongst many others. The museum also features regularly changing specialist exhibitions.
Cambridge University Botanic Garden are another example of how the work of the university extends beyond the lecture room and into research. The tranquil 40-acre site of gardens feature over 10,000 labelled plants species in exquisitely landscaped and cultured gardens, situated close to the centre of Cambridge.
The Round Church at St Andrew the Great is one of the most famous and photographed buildings in Cambridge. The church is only one of four round churches in the country and has proven popular with both visitors and students from the university colleges for many years. Rather uniquely the church does not strongly affiliate it’s users to one of the Christian variants, thus giving it the widest possible outreach.
The Eagle pub in Cambridge might sound a slightly odd place to become a tourist attraction, but in 1953 Francis Crick and James Watson burst into their local pub and announced “we’ve done it, we’ve discovered the secret of life”, ie: they’d discovered DNA. This most ground-breaking discoveries in scientific history cemented the Eagle into the Cambridge tourist trail.
Cambridge punting is as much as a part of Cambridge university life as the famous Cambridge vs Oxford boat race and now several companies have started up offering this leisurely way of seeing Cambridge without needing to lift an oar. Punting is also one of the most romantic ways to see the historic city, and might have admittedly been made slightly more famous by a certain Cornetto advert.
The Junction is the place to go if you’re looking for a little nightlife in Cambridge, with 1000 person capacity, several bars and cafes The Junction rocks both night and day to the sounds of the Cambridge arts and sounds.
Here we’ve only touched on a few of the many things to see in Cambridge. For a more complete list, see the Cambridge attractions guide.
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Hotels in Cambridge
Self-catering accommodation in Cambridge
One Comment
It’s hard to distill the attractions of the place into a short list. If you’re visiting Cambridge, look at some hotels and stay there for a couple of days to see it all!